Rayo Vallecano have reportedly had their latest attempt to be granted a UEFA licence rejected by the courts in Madrid.

The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) refused to grant the capital club a licence for UEFA competition for 2013-14 on the grounds of their current financial situation, seeing them with debt and in administration.

Having finished the League season in eighth place, a position otherwise able to qualify the club for the Europa League, they took their case against the RFEF to the courts in Madrid.

However, EFE report today that the judge overseeing the appeal has ruled in favour of the RFEF, indicating that ‘in order to preserve the application of regulations of the competition, teams cannot compete with an unfair advantage because they do not have to answer to their debts.

The ruling also is quoted as saying that ‘to achieve this objective, the Federation must uniformly apply the regulations of the competition’.

Rayo can appeal this decision, whilst they are also awaiting a more definitive ruling on the matter through a separate appeal put to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. A date for a decision from CAS, however, has yet to be specified.

Should Rayo find themselves without a UEFA licence, their place in European competition for next season will be taken by Sevilla.

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